Lark’s On Trial

My crew slapped wooden handcuffs on me and tossed my jacket over me. Apparently, my body was too distracting for the ‘judge and jury’.

“Court is in Session!” Pippa called, banging a wooden mug on a crate as if it were a gavel.

“Why am I on trial?”

“You know why you are,” Túta snapped.

The girl with sharp teeth and heterochromia nodded, her eyes welling up with fake tears.

“Was this all because I didn’t compliment your swimsuits? Because right now, your swimsuits all look lovely.”

“Your honour, I would like to enter into evidence that the accused is trying to bribe the witnesses.”

“Túta, are you acting as the prosecutor?” I asked.

She nodded in response.

“Can you at least remove these handcuffs?” I asked, resigning myself to my fate.

“Not unless you are found innocent of this heinous crime against this poor woman.”

She signalled over to the woman.

“Might I add that I am the captain of this crew?”

“Then, Captain, this is a mutiny,” she snapped back.

“I keep telling you that it’s all a misunderstanding.”

“Save it for the court.”

“There will be order in my court,” Pippa declared.

Everyone fell silent.

“I would like to call the victim to the stand,” Túta responded formally.

“Hey, don’t call her a victim. That makes it sound like I’m guilty already.”

“Fine, the first witness,” she corrected herself, sarcastically.

The woman obliged. Whilst she was supposedly distraught from the experience, she was showing absolutely no sign of it on her face.

“For the record, could you state your name?” Túta asked her.

“My name is Raizel.”

“And Miss Raizel, could you explain to everyone the events leading up to the alleged incident?”

“I would like to submit something into evidence,” Mel interjected, raising her hand.

“You can’t do that!” Túta protested.

“As the person representing the defence, I have pertinent information that would benefit the court.”

As much as I enjoyed having someone on my side, I also had to remind myself that this was a mock court case on a beach, being run by my crew, for something I hadn’t even meant to do.

“What would you like to submit?” Pippa pointed the empty wooden mug towards her.

“The witness is a mimic.”

“Is this true?” Pippa asked Raizel.

“Why does my race have anything to do with what occurred?” She began to look a little flustered. Her black and Yellow Heterochromatic eyes began blinking uncontrollably.

“It doesn’t, we were just wondering if it’s true.”

“Oh, in that case, yeah, I’m a mimic.”

“Alright, Raizel, please let the jury know your recollection of the events.”

“I was just a peaceful mimic, minding my own business, when this brute…” She paused to wipe a fake tear. “This brute came into my room and started touching me inappropriately.”

There were audible gasps from the jury.

“No further questions for the witness, your honour,” Túta commented with a proud smirk.

“Alright, next witness,” Pippa added.

“Hey, don’t I get a shot to cross-examine?”

Viola, Melody and Elora shook their heads and began to whisper to each other.

I forced a smile.

“Never mind, no questions for the witness,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Well then, I would like to call my next witness to the stand,” Túta commented. “Captain Lark.”

Wait… me? What’s her game here?

I glanced over to Mel, who shrugged. I got up and sat next to Pippa.

“Alright, my first question for Captain Lark. What is your occupation?”

“Oh, come on, that’s unfair to ask.”

“The defendant will answer the question,” Pippa nodded. She was enjoying this court situation too much.

“Fine, I’m a pirate.”

Gasps from the jury of Elora, Melody and Viola.

“And are pirates known for being trustworthy?” Túta pressed.

“That’s hardly…”

“You will answer in my court,” Pippa instructed.

I sighed.

“No, they are not known for their honesty, your honour.”

“So let me get this straight. You are claiming that you did not intend to touch the witness, Miss Raizel, inappropriately, yet you admit to being a deceitful pirate.”

There were murmurs amongst the faux jury.

“Oh come on!” I pleaded to the Jury. “You are all part of my crew.”

“And now you are threatening the Jury.”

I bit my tongue. It seemed everything I said only got me in more trouble.

“If I may,” Viola interjected by raising her hand.

“You may speak,” Pippa replied, clearly enjoying her role.

That’s highly irregular for a court, well, whatever this was, a sham court anyway.

“It would be highly improbable for Lark to have done anything inappropriate with Miss Raizel,” Viola said, glancing at Raizel with a smug smile.

Thank you for believing in me, Viola.

“He wouldn’t do that because he only has lustful thoughts about me.” She winked and blew a kiss.

“Guilty!” Pippa banged her gavel.

Pippa! Why are you so quick to find me guilty? I thought you would be more understanding.

Whilst they continued to banter, Mel leaned in and whispered in my ear.

“Hey, Cap’n, don’t look, but some strong people who are armed are watching us from the bushes.”

I hadn’t noticed anyone, and clearly, none of the rest of the crew had either.

“Can we take them?” I whispered back.

“Nah, they outnumber us, and each of their stats is around our stronger members. They also have some pretty powerful skills.”

“Then can we run?”

“If we run now, most of us could escape, but I don’t think we all could.”

“Then, how about if I stay behind and act as a decoy?”

“We can’t leave you.”

“But could you?”

“Yes, but you’ll be captured.”

“As your captain, it is my responsibility to make sure you all are safe. Subtly pass on the message that I ordered you all to flee.”

She seemed to wrestle with the idea.

“Alright, fine, we will run. But we will come back and save you Cap’n.”

I nodded, and she calmly strolled over to Túta and whispered something to her. There was a look of worry as she glanced over to me. I gave her a wink to let her know it was fine.

Not even a second later, there was some loud shuffling noises behind me.

“Alright, let’s head back to the ship,” Mel called, taking charge.

They all turned and ran towards the ship. Although Mel hadn’t been able to let everyone know the plan, the fact that they were all synchronised suggested they trusted each other and my order.

“Bye Lark,” Túta called.

“Bye Captain,” Elora added.

“Oh, a ship, that sounds cool. Is there plenty of treasure?” Raizel asked. Her mouth opened, her tongue flicking with excitement. “Can I come?”

“Of course, you are welcome,” Viola welcomed her.

Hey, as Captain, don’t I get a say in this?

In their haste, they had forgotten something very important.

“Hey, at least unchain me!” I called out to them.

“Why are we leaving Mister Pirate?” Melody asked.

“Because our foolish captain made a foolish decision,” Viola replied.

“Stay alive, Cap’n,” Mel yelled to me.

“Hey, shouldn’t we help Lark? He might get caught?” Pippa asked, tilting her head as she ran towards the ship.

“Don’t worry Pippa, think about how cool Lark will be when he escapes against odds,” Mel commented.

“You’re right,” she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Although I was grateful for her getting Pippa to flee, I hated how easily she managed to convince her to betray me. The entire crew, along with the Mimic girl Raizel, ran off towards my ship.

I saw my crew quickly board the Ravager as muffled voices slowly approached me. A second later, I heard someone vomiting and some more frantic overlapping voices. I guess someone must have tried to check my stats.

“Mina! Are you alright?”

Mina? Surely not? Though the voice also sounded familiar.

“Don’t go any closer to him. I’ve never seen anything so twisted and vile.”

Wow, that’s rude.

“What do you mean?” another oddly familiar voice asked.

“I can’t explain it. It’s like looking at hundreds of stats overlapped. It's utterly vile. Twisted. Evil!”

“We know who you are! You have committed various crimes, including being the owner of the Accursed Ravager, crimes against the Presgeiros Merchant Company and general illicit piracy.” A familiar authoritative voice called out. “Put your hands in the air. If you don’t, we will hit you with all we’ve got.”

I raised my chained hands to the air.

“Turn around and face us,” the same voice called.

I turned around as a smile crept up my face. I could hear the gasps from my captors.

“Hello, my dear former classmates.”

▪──── X ────▪

End of chapter 33